Satur-DIY Denim

I am sitting in my house with our broken air conditioning, trying to finish this post as quickly as I can before heading out somewhere cooler. I was set on uploading this on Saturday so I could try out a few Satur-DIY posts, but this week has been crazy so I wasn’t able to get around to it until Sunday. I know it’s a cheesy title, but I just had to use it! I have been wanting to try some DIY on this little blog because who doesn’t want to save a few dollars every once in awhile? The photos aren't as high of quality as I would like since I just used my phone, so try not to knock me on that too much! 

I have recently been eyeing these Topshop jeans, and while I am sure they are amazing quality, the price is a little steep for a college student who is slowly but surely racking up debt. I wanted to find a cheaper option, but I didn’t have much luck. Then it hit me—it is just holes in the knees. I can do this myself.

This really is a pretty easy DIY, but I thought I would post some photos so you can see what I did. The jeans I picked out were only $12.80 from Forever 21, and they are high waisted, making them even more similar to the Topshop pair.

I simply tried on the denim, made a little mark where I wanted them cut with tape, removed the jeans, and cut along the line. If it’s not straight and even, don’t worry—they are supposed to be distressed, not perfect! If you would like them a bit more worn, you could use a tweezers to pull at the areas of fabric along the top and bottom of the cut. I did this a bit, but if you would like to make it even more dramatic, you could continue to pull at it to create a bigger hole over your knee. I am thinking everyday wear and tear will make this a bit more of what I'm looking for as well.

I ended up using a scissors, but if you use a blade, you should place something in the pant leg to make sure you don't cut all the way through!

I hope this post gives you a bit of inspiration to try your own DIYs. Would you be interested in seeing me try some more complex DIYs? If so, I could look into some new ideas for you all. Also, would these make for good videos? If you have any ideas for me, I would love to hear them!

Maggie D. xx

Chicago Summer Travels

I just returned from my five day trip to Chicago, and it went by way too fast! I worked on Wednesday/Thursday from 6 p.m. until 4:30 a.m., came home, took a shower and then we were on our way to the windy city. I must say I was quite exhausted, as I started this trip without sleep, but I did attempt to sleep on the nine hour car ride there.

Once we arrived, we stopped by our hotel to freshen up a bit, and then we headed to Navy Pier. We walked from our hotel, and, quite frankly, we did a lot of walking. It’s the easiest way to travel in the city. We spent the night there, and it was absolutely beautiful. I loved seeing the pier and the picture perfect view of the city from atop the ferris wheel. We had to try deep dish pizza that night, and then went back to our hotel for some much needed sleep.

OOTD: Jumper-Urban Outfitters, Crop Top-Forever 21, Converse Shoes, Bag-H&M, Sunglasses-Kohls

We woke up the next morning with a busy day ahead of us. We hit the Shedd Aquarium, the Adler Planetarium, and The Field Museum all in one day. We weren’t too thrilled by the planetarium or the museum, but it was still a must-see for any tourist. We also drove past Soldier Field, and it made me even more excited knowing I’ll be seeing 5SOS & 1D there in only a few months! That evening, I met up with one of my best friends from college and her family at one of the greatest Italian restaurants I have ever eaten at. She lives in a suburb, so we headed back out there after we ate. That night, her and I went out for fro-yo and caught up about what we had missed whilst being apart from college for a few weeks now.

OOTD: Skirt-Forever 21, Top-Forever 21, Sandals-Forever 21, Bag-H&M

The next day, we went shopping and hit up IKEA. If you don’t know, I LOVE IKEA and there are none near me, so that was an amazing visit for me. I met up with my family later that evening and went out to eat with my aunt and uncle who live near Chicago. We went shopping again that evening, and I might have purchased a bit too much. However, it was vacation, so I let myself splurge a bit!

We drove back into the city the next day and went straight to the Willis Tower. It was crazy being 110 floors above the city, but the view was brilliant. The city looks like it went on forever from that high above, and I loved the view. We went out on the sky deck and could look down onto the city from so far up. It wasn’t as scary as it seems, I promise! We took a pit stop at our hotel and then walked to Millennium Park. We didn’t spend much time here, but I got my photo with the infamous Bean. We then walked to the Magnificent Mile, and I got to stop at some incredible shops. We don’t have many Topshop stores here in the states, so I had to stop there. I purchased a wintery-type jacket that was on sale, and I had to purchase it because it reminded me of Matty Healy (If you don’t know The 1975, you must look into them). Here is the link to the jacket from Topshop; I purchased mine in black, but they don’t appear to have it in that color on their site. It’s big, black, and fuzzy. I couldn’t resist. After a full day of shopping, we headed back to the hotel to get our last night of sleep before heading back home.

 OOTD: Top-Jawbreaking, Shorts-Forever 21, Sandals-Forever 21

On Monday morning, we woke up early to finish packing up and do our last little bit of shopping. We headed back to the Magnificent Mile to stop at a few last stores, including the American Girl store. I had to take a stop in there, solely because 10-year-old Maggie would have absolutely loved this shop! We headed out of the city around noon and stopped by a Cheesecake Factory for my mom’s birthday. After that, we headed back home. It was a quick trip, but it was lovely visiting these sights and getting the chance to see my roommate for next year! Do you have any trips planned for the summer? I would love to hear what your plans are.

Much love,
Maggie D. xx

Beach-Approved Summer Wear

Whether you’re out with your friends for a BBQ, or spending your day soaking in the rays, be sure to look your best with the hottest summer trends.

Arrive at a party put together with a simple designed suit. The dots on this swimming suit are a classic print, keeping it dressy. Throwing on a maxi dress keeps your ensemble cool and comfortable in the sticky summer heat. Find a nice pair of sandals and sunnies to finish off your posh pool look.

Top: H&M

Bottoms: H&M

Dress: ASOS

Sandals: Topshop

Sunglasses: Nasty Gal

Hat: H&M

Bag: H&M

For a less dressy, but still classic look, try a solid color bikini. Of course, I am impartial to black, as it is my favorite color to wear since it is always in trend. The top on this bikini offers support or a bit of push up for those who need it (aka me). Try a black and white printed cover up for a safe look, or try a maxi skirt with a pop of color for something more daring. A pair of black sandals finishes off the outfit.

Top: H&M

Bottoms: H&M

Cover-up: Topshop

Sandals: H&M

Sunglasses: H&M

Skirt: ASOS

Hat: H&M

Tote: H&M

For a fun day at the water with friends, a proper suit is needed. Wearing a one-piece suit makes sure nothing falls out (or off) while swimming. The cotton candy colors are cool for summer, and the strappy style of the suit give it a bit of a flirty vibe. Keeping with the summery feel I paired a bright cover-up with some feminine florals over top. A pair of bright sandals and eye wear get you beach ready in no time.

Suit: Nasty Gal

Cover-up: ASOS

Sandals: Nasty Gal

Sunglasses: Nasty Gal

Tote: Forever 21

For a sporty getup, I wanted to find a top that offers a bit more coverage. I loved this suit and jelly sandals since they both looked like some wardrobe staples I had as a kid—oh, the good old days! I wanted to try a little bit of a monochromatic look with a pink top and cover-up. I threw in a bit of blue with the sunglasses, and you could even attempt glasses just like the pink pair pictured below (I know, crazy but cute).

Suit (Top & Bottom Set): Nasty Gal

Cover-up: ASOS

Sandals: Topshop

Sunglasses (blue): Nasty Gal

Sunglasses (pink): Nasty Gal

Bag: Forever 21

These are some of my outfit picks for a day in the sun. Which one is your favorite? Would you attempt any of these on a beachy day out? I would love to read your comments below!

Until next time,

Maggie D. xx

Mall of America Haul

Hello lovelies,

            I’m finally back! I am sorry I took a few days off—I just went on an incredible shopping trip. In and around my small town, there are really no great places to go shopping. I love going on mini family trips anyway, so the fact that we were able to go to one of the biggest malls in the United States was AMAZING. I was so incredibly happy. I was also able to meet up with one of my college friends who lives in the area which was a blast as well. I am not posting this to brag at all! I am really hoping it doesn’t come across that way. I never get the chance to splurge, so when I get the opportunity to go shopping at a good mall, then I take the chance. I have put in extra hours at work, so I figured I would let myself do a little shopping. So, without further ado, here are my purchases!

            So, the first place I stopped was Urban Outfitters. I love looking at their merchandise online, so I figured I would take a little peek inside. While most of their original priced merchandise is too spendy for me, I headed back to the sale and found an adorable denim dress jumper. It was on sale for $20, and I am in LOVE. I thought a nice printed crop top would look perfect underneath, and I found that at my next stop.

Sorry for the terrible angle--I was running out of daylight so I had to take it here!

            If you don’t know, I am obsessed with Forever 21. They have cheap prices and clothes that I just love. This store was a huge two stories, so I was in shopping shock. So, I went through the store hunting for a cheap crop top perfect for summer to go with my new jumper, and I found a cute floral one for only $8.80. It’s perfect for summer, and I love the print! I also found an adorable London tee for only $10.80 (since London is still my dream!). As I told you before, my style icon is Lou Teasdale. I have adored her striped jeans that she wore at my concert (how cool!), so I went on a hunt to find a pair. I found some on Forever 21’s website, and when I went to the store, I couldn’t find the pair I was looking for. However, I was going through the clearance, and I found the jeans on sale for $16.99. Then, I found out they were an extra 50% off of that, so they ended up being $8.49. It doesn’t get better than that. I also bought a band tee that Lou has (or a very similar) for $15.80. I was one happy girl leaving that store.

            I headed into Aerie next, in which they have plenty of dainty lingerie. I got this lacey bra on sale for $15. I thought it would be perfect to wear under a tee or tank for summer, and I love the light peach color.

            I had never been to a Nordstrom, or a Topshop for that matter, but I had dreamed of Topshop for as long as I can remember. I love everything! So, I had to take a peek and see what I could find. Of course, regularly priced merchandise is quite expensive, so I headed to the sale and found some gorgeous products. When I laid eyes on the sweater, it was love at first sight. It was regularly $72, on sale for $19.99. It was perfect. I also got this chunky, silver jeweled necklace for $9.98, originally $20.00. I also got this gorgeous, jeweled brooch for $9.98, originally $28.00. I got an over-sized, chain necklace that I thought was so unique for $14.98, originally $40.00. I had some amazing sales there! I also heard that Batiste products are incredible, and I had never seen them anywhere near me before, so I purchased some dry shampoo for $8.00. I’m so excited to try it!

            I had to stop at American Apparel and see what I could find, and I had to take a peek at their bows. I love Bethany Mota on YouTube, and she is always wearing the most adorable bows, so I had to buy one! I got this giant pink one for $10, and I cannot wait to wear it!

            When I met up with my friend from college, she recommended some stores for me to check out. I went to Francesca’s, a little boutique, and got these gorgeous earrings on sale for $4.99. Everything there was absolutely adorable!

            We also went into a jewelry store called Six, and again, sale jewelry got me. I got this adorable ring for only $1.99. It doesn’t get any better than that.

            She also took me to DSW, Designer Shoe Warehouse. I had never been to one, and I definitely never expected to buy anything. We were looking through the sale shoes, and I found some adorable shoes. They are Betsey Johnson, and were originally $104.94. I looked and saw they were 80% off, which was incredible. I got them for only $20.99. Basically the best sale of the day!

            I also took a pit-stop at H&M and got a few things. I was looking for a new bag, and this bag was on sale for only $15.00! I also got a new, statement necklace for only $5, but it was buy one get one free sale products, so the necklace was free. I also just read a blog post from a fellow blogger recommending the Smokey palette, so I figured I would try it out for only $5.95.

            Whoofta, that’s finally everything! I know this is a lot, and I know I didn’t need all of this. I am so blessed to be able to try all of these new things, and I am so glad to share it with you! Have you had any recent hauls? What are your favorites? Leave your comments below! I would love to hear feedback from you all! Thanks for putting up with this long post. And, again, I would like to thank you for reading my blog. This means the world to me, and I love you all so very much.

Thank you, and much love,

Maggie D. xx